TENSIONS ran high as the suspect in the Siam Lee case made his second appearance at the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Friday morning.
The 29-year-old man, dressed in a black jacket and blue pants, shocked the gallery when he claimed that he had been tortured while in custody at the Durban North Police Station.
“I fear for my life,” he told magistrate Mohamed Motala, and pleaded to be moved to Westville prison until his next court appearance. “I have suffered enough,’ he added.
The accused claimed that he had been assaulted and even suffocated with plastic – all in an effort to force him to confess.
“I was told to either confess or leave in a body bag,” claimed the Assagay resident.
“I have bruises and scars all over my body to prove it,” he said.
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The accused also claimed that he had been punched when he was arrested.
Magistrate Motala said while he understood the accused’s concerns it would not be ideal for him to be moved to the Westville prison as it would make it difficult for the investigating officers to reach him and to complete their investigations.
“It would be in your best interest to keep you in the Durban North cells as this would expedite the case,” he told the accused.
In an effort of fairness, the magistrate offered to have the suspect, rather, moved to the Durban Central station but he declined.
The case has been remanded to Friday, 9 February.
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